My First Journal

1981, age 16, with e.e. cummings intro

A precursor to Potter Poems, 1981

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Anatomy of a Hangover

down drunkedly (i think) a pathless road
which led to (hoped) a sober place,
crawled (numbed) myself with full and sloshing load.
with not a thought, my mind (a bigger space
than all the floor) did smile to find a face
which seemed not real but still resembled mine.
i soon found self with toilet in embrace —
my guts up-through eight times (or maybe nine.)

now then is done and when's again and wine
is gone and whiskey's flushed — remember not
a thing do i, and too, i feel not fine,
for 'tween my skull and brain has since been wrought
a heavy hanging metal chain to clang.
(and was it i last night who sang?)

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